Combined transporting and lowering burial apparatus



July 3, 1928. 1,675,362

H. A. LEDYARD ET AL COMBINED TRANSPORTING AND LOWERING BURIAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F7 1 2 a; gvfatxfoz imm,f M

July 3, 1928. 1,675,362

H. A. LEDYARD ET AL COMBINED TRANSPORTING AND LOWERING BURIAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 31441211101 $44 qg yw Patented July 3, 1928.

, UNITED ST T S PATENT OFFICE.

may L. LIDYABD AND JAIEQ J. TELLIY, 01' asnmn, OHIO; SAD in! ABBIGNOB '10 SAID LIDYARD.

connmn TBANSBOBTING AH D LOWEBING BUBIAL APPARATUS.

Application flied November 11, 1925. Serial No. 88.4%.

This invention relates to a combined transporting and lowering burial apparatus.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means of supporting and movin a casket or the like in an endwise or si ewise direction so that a casket or the like may be aligned in both directions substantially over a grave.

A further object is to rovide means for lowering a casket or the li e to the bottom of or to a predetermined point in a grave, in a manner wholly within the control of the operator and to facilitate and make easier the lowering operation, by controlling the descent of the casket or the like into the ave and of raising same out of the grave if esired.

A further object is to provide a lowering apparatus which is combined with a transporting truck made of metal and which is constructed and formed to obtain the maximum strength, in com arison with the weight of the parts used 1n making the apparatus. v

A further object is to provide means of bracing the bearings of the lowering apparatus in such a manner as to provide or rigidit? and fprevent undue vibration of the parts 0 th r e thereof.

' A further ob'ect is to provide means for unwindin an winding the cables from shafts an at the same time providing means for aligning and controlling the wire cables, so that they will not wind upon said shafts irregularly, by exerting a tension against the coils of the cables to force same in juxtaposltion to each other.

A further object is to provide grooved 0 tracks to direct the movement of the transporting truck in. alignment endwise or sidewise and finally the invention consists in providing right and left hand worms and gears, which impart movement to the shafts 5 to unwind or wind up the wire cables for the purpose intended.

These and other objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated and shown in the drawings, in which:

Fi re 1 is a side elevation of the combine truck and lowering apparatus showing a casket or the like suspended therefrom in dotted lines and showing the wire cables ame and the operating mechanism attached to one of the handles of the vault on one side preferably adjacent to the corners thereof.

Figure 2 is a broken plan view of Fig. 1. F gure 3 is a front end view of Fig. 1. Figure 4 is a section on the'line 4-4 of 3. igure 5 is a side view of one caster wheel and mounting thereof, also showi the method of positionin a caster wheel in difagainst the coils of a wire cable.

It will be noted that the combined transporting and lowering apparatus for burial purposes is constructed as follows:

The truck frame is composed of a plu rality of angle bars 1, 9., 3 and 4. Corner pieces 5 havin offset ournal portions 6 formed integra therewith are attached to each corner of the frame composed of said angle bars. The corner pieces are provi ed with vertical a rtures to receive the 'ournal portions 7 oFlhe bifurcated memrs or brackets 8, thereb providing means to journal the bifurcate bracket or member 8 to rotate within said vertical aperture.

The corner pieces are attached to the angular ironframe at each corner thereof by any well known fastening 'means. Wheels or casters 9 are mounted to revolve within the bifurcated portions 8 on hearing pins 10. The bifurcated members are provided on the upper portions with ribs 11 and the offset journal portions are rovided with grooves 12, which are formed at right angles with each other to permit the wheels to be turned totravel in an endwise or sidewise direction, as desired. In turning the wheels in the direction desired the ribs on the bifurcated brackets fit into their respective grooves in theofiset portions thereby look ing the wheels in the positions desired for movin the trucks in either endwise or sidewise irection.

A plurality of vertically arranged standards 13 are referably mounted upon and attached to t e frame of the truck and the free ends of the standards are also rovided with horizontal bearings two of w "ch are aligned on each side of the truck into which the shafts 14 and 15 are fitted to rotate. The ends of the shafts project beyond the bearings. Curved brackets 16 and 17 are secured to the bearings at each end of the frame at or adjacent to the top of the standards to provide rigidity and prevent undue vlbration of the parts.

Upon the projecting ends at the front of the shafts right and left hand worm wheels 18 and 19 respectively are mounted and rigidly secured thereto and they are adapted to mesh with worms 20 and 21, which are mounted on a shaft 21. The shaft 21' is supported in proper position by the journal brackets 22 and 23.

Both ends of the shaft 21 are formed, so as to receive a socket wrench 24. Upon rotation of the socket wrench from either side of the combined transporting and lowering apparatus, the tubular shaft members are rotated throu h the medium of the worms and worm w eels to lower or casket or the like as desired.

Wire cables are attached to shafts 14 and 15 and the other ends of the cables are provided with hooks 25 which engage the handles 26, which are positioned on each side of the casket or the like adjacent to the corners thereof.

When the hooks are connected to the handles 26 upon the rotation of the crank 24 in one direction, the vault will be lowered into the grave and upon rotation in the opposite direction the cas et or the like'will be raised. The casket or the like can be lifted or lowered from the ground or the like or from or into the grave by turning the crank when the same is suspended from the lowering apparatus.

If it is desired to move the truck away from the grave in endwise or sidewise direction, trac s 31 having grooves 32 provided therein to fit the sides or rims of the caster wheels are placed in close proximity to the sides of the grave and in right angular relation thereto if desired; the transporting truck can then be adjusted or moved on the wheels in an endwise or sidewise direction.

In order to keep the wire cables from winding up in an irregular manner or slippin or flapping back and forth on the sha ts, spanners 27 are provided to fit over the shafts adjacent to each end thereof. Springs 28 are mounted on rods 29 and they are positioned and arranged to press against the spanners 27, which in turn bear under compression against the coils of the wire cables and force the same in juxtaposition to each other in winding or unwinding same from or on the shafts.

The rods 29 upon which the spanners are loosely mounted to slide are sup rted on brackets 30 and are arranged in c ose proximity to the coils of the wire cables so that raise the in winding or unwinding on the shaft the coils of the cables cannot overlap or wind upon each other.

In constructing a transporting truck as described and applying same and combining it with a lowering ap aratus as described, a casket or the like can e lowered into a grave with ease and convenience and facility and at the same time it can be adjusted endwise or sidewise relative to the grave by adjusting the casters to the tracks and move in any predetermined osition.

The combin transporting and lowering apparatus is designed to be ifted over the casket or the like when it is desired to use same.

We claim:

1. In a combined lowering ing truck for burial pur combination, a rectan ar frame composed of angle iron members, and adapted to provide means for winding the cable around the tubular members and to maintain the same diameter of the cable when lowering or raising a vault or the like from the grave, swivel wheel supporting members 'ournaled on said rectangular frame and a a ted to be moved and held parallel with t e side members of the frame and also at right angles thereto, standards mounted upon and and transport oses, comprising in secured adjacent to the corners of said frame and also being provided with bearings, braces secured to the bearin provided on the standards, tubular mem rs journaled in said bearings, worm gears mounted upon and rigidly secured to sald tubular members, brackets having bearings secured to the front standards, a shaft journaled in said bracket bearings, worms mounted on said shaft to mesh with said worm gears, the shaft and bracket mechanism when actuated being adapted to turn the tubular members in different directions as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a combined lowering and transporting truck for burial purposes, comprising in combination, a rectan lar frame composed of angle iron mem rs, and adapted to provide means for winding the cable around the tubular-members and to maintain the same diameter of the cable when lowering or raising a vault or the like from the grave, swivel wheel supporting members journaled on said rectan lar frame and adapted to be moved and held parallel with the side members of the frame and also at right angles thereto, standards mounted upon and secured adjacent to the corners of said frame and also being provided with bearings, braces secured to the bearings rovided on the standards, tubular mem rs journaled insaid bearings, worm gears mounted upon and ri 'dly secured to said tubular members, brac ets ha bearings secured to the front standarda d fiiaft journaled in said bracket bearings, worms mounted on said shaft to mesh with said worm ears, the shaft and bracket mechanism w en operated being adapted to turn the tubularmembers in dlfierent directions, cables connected to and ada ted to be wound around said tubular mem rs in opposite directions and means to guide the cables evenly as they are wound around said tubular members as described and set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

HARRY A. LEDYARD. JAMES J. JELLEY. 

